Germany, Sweden protest to Turkey over jailing of activists

BERLIN – Germany's foreign ministry says his country and Sweden have made a joint protest to Turkey about the jailing of two human rights activists, demanding that the men be told what exactly they are accused of.

Peter Steudtner of Germany and Ali Gharavi of Sweden were arrested July 5. They were among six activists jailed last week for allegedly aiding an unspecified armed terror group.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said that Germany and Sweden on Wednesday jointly complained to the Turkish government, saying the two governments don't understand why the men were jailed and "expect that they at least now be told in substantiated terms what they are accused of."

Schaefer also sharply criticized Turkish media for publishing extracts from the questioning of Steudtner.